Daytime Wellbeing Hub and Evening Safe Haven

Daytime Hub (10-4pm) The hub offers day-time support for a range of mental health problems and for episodes of mental distress. It will be based in a static facility, providing a range of activities, advice, information and support. It will use a navigation and enabling approach, to empower people to stay well in their community and at home.

Safe Haven (Evening support) 6pm-10pm The Safe Haven offers sanctuary for people experiencing mental ill-health and mental distress. It will offer a calm and safe space, providing practical and emotional support, which can be used as an alternative to admission if appropriate. Includes de-escalate users in crisis and seek support from other services in dealing with critical incidents and provide support in accessing other support services. An appropriate plan of care for the evening will be agreed with the person at assessment. Expectations will be managed so that all people will go home when the hub closes for the evening. A short-term care plan will be agreed to cover the period immediately following the person's use of the Safe Haven. An appointment will be made for the following day at the Wellbeing Hub to review the plans made the previous night.

• The aim of this crisis alternative service is to establish a Daytime Wellbeing Hub and Evening Safe Haven model that sits at the heart of the community and operates a safe and friendly environment. The Safe Haven will work closely with 111, Police, Ambulance and A&E to support people, where the hub is a more appropriate venue.

The objectives of this crisis alternative service is to:

• Offer day-time support for a range of mental health problems and for episodes of mental distress, to be based in a static facility, providing advice and information.
• Offer an evening support for people who are in crisis (self-defined) and an alternative to admission to statutory services.
• Use a social navigation and enabling approach, to empower people to stay well in their community and at home, rather than employing a more traditional 'problem-solving' approach.
• Offer sanctuary for people experiencing mental ill-health and mental distress. It will include a calm and safe space, providing practical and emotional support, which can be used as an alternative to admission if appropriate.
• Use existing Crisis response triage telephone lines that will receive all referrals to the Safe Haven in the evening.
• To work in partnership with the local Mental Health NHS provider (Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust) to develop protocols and a standard operating procedure, with the guarantee that the Mental Health provider will provide clinical oversight of the hub model, offering advice, support, and formal triage and assessment.
• Link to the existing support services; Suffolk Community Connector Network, Suffolk Night owls and the Crisis Response Service support telephone line to support people who present as being in crisis and help to de-escalate.
• Create links to other day time services for people with complex emotional needs and provide space and venues in rural locations through a hub and spoke model (daytime only).
• Create a seamless peer support model working alongside the local Mental Health NHS provider (Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust) to provide employment and volunteering opportunities.

The NHS Standard Contract Service Variation will run from 1st March 2026 through to 31st March 2027. This aligns with the existing full review of the crisis alternative services and population needs that is in progress.